Cars Could Run on Recycled Newspaper

You’ve heard that the newspaper is dead, right? That may not be the case for much longer. Due to newly-discovered bacteria, old newspapers could potentially be converted into butanol, a biofuel that can be used as a substitute for gasoline.

According to scientists, at least 323 million tons of the materials that can be used to produce butanol end up in landfills in the United States alone each year. Could you imagine what would happen if all of that material was used to produce fuel?

“Bio-butanol produced from cellulose would dramatically reduce carbon dioxide and smog emissions in comparison to gasoline, and have a positive impact on landfill waste,” said David Mullen, the associate professor who discovered the strain.

So don’t cancel that subscription to the Times yet—it might power your car someday!

You can read the full article on the Earth 911 site.

Share this story

Post a comment

